OUR BEGINNING

• On April 15, 1950, a group of teachers and several officers of National Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority met at the Paola Country Club to organize a new chapter and to install officers.  Agnes Shipman, National President, presided and was assisted by Agnes Bedford, Field Secretary, Edythe Johnson, Alpha Delta Chapter in Kansas City, and Gladys Hall, Kappa Chapter in Kansas City.   

 

• The Charter Members of Iota Chapter were:

*Dorothy Benedict
*Clara Dickerson
*Bertha Young Hornbuckle
*Lois Jackson
*Georgia Lewis
*Beulah Parks
*Martha Roman
*Nora Rowan
*Ada Saunders
*Elsie Leona Smith
*Elizabeth Walters
*Maude Winburn
*Beulah Young
*Elsie Downs Farley – Honorary Member (Miami County Superintendent for  
                                      12 years)

• The new CHAPTER OFFICERS were:

            *President                                 Martha Roman
            *Vice-President                         Georgia Lewis
            *Treasurer                                 Elizabeth Walters
            *Recording Secretary                 Elsie Leona Smith
            *Corresponding Secretary          Lois Jackson
            *Keeper of the Archives              Ada Saunders
            *Chaplain                                  Dorothy Benedict
            *Sergeant-at-Arms                     Clara Dickerson
            *Publicity Editor                         Beulah Young

• At first, the Iota Chapter headquarters was the Paola Free Library with meetings the fourth Wednesday of the month.  Later, the chapter began meeting in homes, tea rooms, hotels, churches, and cafés in the Miami County area.

 

• On October 27, 1951, Iota Chapter initiated and installed Sigma Chapter at the North American Hotel in Ottawa.  Installing officers from Iota Chapter were:  Ada Saunders, Georgia Lewis, Katherine Boyer, and Bertha Hornbuckle.  On several occasions throughout the years, Sigma and Iota Chapters have exchanged meetings.

IOTA CHAPTER PRESIDENTS
Martha Roman                       1950-1951
Ada Saunders                        1951-1952
Zoe Belle Nelson                   1952-1953
Lois Jackson                          1953-1954
Rose Thomas                        1954-1955
Georgia Lewis                       1955-1956
Clara Dickerson                     1956-1957
Beulah Parks                         1957-1958
Anna Klockman                     1958-1959
Mildred Diehm                       1959-1960
Beulah Young                        1960-1961
Lucille Stadler                        1961-1962
Laura Harmon                        1962-1963
Alice Cortner                          1963-1964
Lurene Paddock                    1964-1965
Astrid Seiler Barkis                1965-1966
Helen Ganoung                     1966-1968
Lucille Ludwig                        1968-1970
Clara Dickerson                     1970-1972
Jean Vallier                            1972-1974
Helen Eble                             1974-1976
Carol Knoche                         1976-1978
Thelma Taylor                        1978-1980
Lurene Swenson                   1980-1982
RoseMary Branson               1982-1984
Darlene Noyes Hadsall         1984–1986
Janice Stahl                           1986–1988
Geraldine Wilke                     1988–1990
Cindy Higdon                         1990–1992
Joann Hook                            1992-1994
Beth Taggart                          1994-1996
Del Jo Broadrick                    1996-1998
Conice Donahy                      1998-2000
Suellen Golladay                   2000-2002
Del Jo Broadrick                    2002-2004
Judy Welter                            2004-2006
Darlene Hadsall                     2006-2008
Marilyn Anderson                  2008-2010
Cheryl Sigel                           2010-2012
Joann Hook                            2012-2014
Annette Husted                      2014-2016
Lonnie Vopat                         2016-2018
Lois Dollar                              2018-2020
Joann Hook                            2020-2022